For GS Sanil Kumar, who works at Dubai International Airport, the danger is first a cough, then a fever. He took some medicine, but the fever did not go away.
Four days later, his condition worsened. “I couldn’t breathe. I even found it difficult to speak,” recalls Kumar, who had suffered from COVID-19-related complications, including pneumonia, a month earlier.
“Somehow I managed to call my cousins. They came and took me to Aster Hospital in Qusais,”
semi-conscious state
He reported to the emergency room with a high fever and shortness of breath in a semi-conscious state.
The medical team quickly carried out a series of tests and diagnosed him with severe pneumonia. A CT scan showed his lungs were filled with excess fluid, said Dr Muhammed Shafeeq, a pulmonologist at Al Qusais Aster Hospital.
The team quickly transferred him to the intensive care unit and put him on high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) oxygen therapy to relieve his breathing difficulties.
Dr. Mohammad Shafiq
“We started antibiotics and other adjunctive drugs on Kumar. He also had diabetes. We observed him in the ICU for 24 hours. But he did not show any signs of improvement. Instead, his health deteriorated, oxygen saturation drop,” explains Dr. Shafeeq.
According to doctors, Sunil’s respiratory system has collapsed. His lungs couldn’t get enough oxygen into the blood.
acute respiratory distress syndrome
“He had acute respiratory distress syndrome caused by severe pneumonia,” said Dr. Chaitanya Prakash Prabhu, a specialist in intensive care medicine who intubated Kumar and treated him in the ICU.
“In these cases, if the patient did not respond well to treatment, it was very difficult to revive him. I informed the family of his condition and, with their consent, put him on a ventilator,” the doctor explained.
Ventilator for over a week
Despite being switched to mechanical ventilation, it took several days for Kumar to show progress in his condition.
“He was on mechanical ventilation for eight days. Even after that, he needed oxygen support. Gradually, we slowed the supply of oxygen while monitoring his body’s oxygen saturation. Finally, he could breathe without difficulty. ,” said Dr. Shafeeq.
While it’s always heartening to see patients recover, he said, cases like Kumar’s brought a sense of purpose and joy.
Precaution
Dr. Shafeeq emphasized the importance of preventing such cases, noting that people with comorbidities such as diabetes are more likely to develop severe illness after a fever if not properly treated.
“In this case, these people must consult a doctor and receive appropriate treatment early to avoid serious conditions. Also, people with any lung disease can suffer from diseases that affect the respiratory system. So, they must Be careful. Vaccination is critical in preventing the chance of developing these diseases. People at risk of developing these diseases should be vaccinated to protect them from influenza and pneumococcal disease,” he added.
